Just Beet It!

When I was much younger, I remember having been diagnosed with iron deficiency, causing haemoglobin in my blood to dip below normal levels. I was advised to consciously add iron-rich food in my diet to bridge this gap, apart from the iron supplement tonics and capsules. Being a non-vegetarian, iron from meat and fish was automatically a part of at least 1 meal of my day. So for the additional needs, my mother chose vegetables like beetroot, spinach and raw bananas. And believe me, I liked none of those!

Now, even after so many years, I strive to maintain an iron-rich diet with the same vegetables (which I still dislike!), but give my own twist to the dishes make them appeal to my palate J Beetroot is one vegetable which I cook very often. Some of my recipes are shared below.

Beetroot and Orange juice

Ingredients: 1 beetroot, 1 orange (or ½ cup orange juice), 1 tsp sugar/honey, 1 small slice ginger , ice cubes (optional)

Method: Wash and peel the beetroot and orange. Cut the beetroot into small cubes. Put all the ingredients in a juicer/mixer and blend for a few minutes. Add ice cubes (if you want chilled) and blend once more. Beetroot and orange mocktail is ready!

Grilled Beetroot Sandwich

Ingredients: 1 beetroot, 1 potato, ½ onion finely chopped, ½ tsp ginger paste, ½ tsp garlic paste, green chillies chopped (to taste), salt, oil, bread

Method: Cut beetroot and potato into cubes and boil. Mash the boiled beetroot and potato separately. Mashed beetroot releases a lot of water, so press and strain away the excess water. Now mix the beetroot mash, potato mash, chillies and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden. Then add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add the mash mix in the pan and cook for 2 minutes till the flavours are blended. Fill this mix between 2 slices of bread and grill in a sandwich maker.

Stuffed Beetroot Paratha (Indian Bread)

Ingredients: 1 beetroot, 1 potato, ½ onion finely chopped, ½ tsp ginger paste, ½ tsp garlic paste, green chillies chopped (to taste), salt, oil, flour

Method: Cut beetroot and potato into cubes and boil. Mash the boiled beetroot and potato separately. Mashed beetroot releases a lot of water, so press and strain away the excess water. Now mix the beetroot mash, potato mash, chillies and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden. Then add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add the mash mix in the pan and cook for 2 minutes till the flavours are blended. The paratha filling is ready.

Make a dough by mixing water in the flour, take a small ball from the dough and roll out, add a spoonful of the filling in the centre and fold in from all the sides. Roll out again into a round paratha. Cook one side on a flat pan, then turn the side and cook for some more time. Add oil to both the sides and cook for another minute. Serve hot with raita or curry.

Oats for Heart's Sake

Breakfast was never an elaborate affair in our home – lunch was the main meal of the day, followed by dinner. So it was literally ‘breaking your fast’ (since the previous night!) with some fuel to start running your body’s engine. It used to be, more often than not, some variation of bread – sandwich, toast, Indian bread (roti/paratha/poori) with some curry – nothing much to celebrate about.

Once I started living by myself, I continued this tradition my mother followed, with an occasional twist of instant noodles for a change J Bread was quick, convenient and filling, so I had no complaints. But then started my discovery phase – getting to know the various nutrition contents of the food I was consuming (and the ones I wasn’t!). And bread was one of my first revelations – it has over 70% carbohydrates (causing blood sugar levels to rise), is low in dietary fibre and can raise bad cholesterol (or LDL) causing heart problems!

And that is how Quaker Oats happened to me, and has stayed with me since. I learnt about the numerous benefits of this grain – it is high in fibre , helps in lowering blood cholesterol, and keeps your heart healthy. Now it is a part of my everyday diet.While Quaker oats is widely loved in its regular porridge form (by boiling the oats with milk, dry fruits and sugar), I give my own edge to this humble porridge…here’s how:

• Instead of using sugar while cooking, I drizzle in honey, date syrup or even chocolate syrup after the porridge is off the stove.
• Even though dry fruits are a staple (almonds, raisins, dates, cashews), I serve the porridge with fresh fruits (apple, banana, strawberry, kiwi fruit, mango, grapes, pomegranate seeds) depending on their availability.

I have also tried to recreate some regular breakfast recipes by adding a handful of Quaker oats in them, like the omelettes and pancakes. This breaks the monotony of porridge, yet I get the benefits of having oats in my breakfast to boost me for the day!

Oats Omelette

Ingredients: 2 eggs, ½ cup Quaker Oats, ½ tsp salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, chopped green chillies (to taste), chopped onion, small slice of ginger finely grated, chopped coriander leaves (optional), butter/oil

Method: Mix the eggs and oats, and whisk it for a few minutes. This softens the oats and allows air bubbles into the mix which makes the omelette fluffy. Then add the remaining ingredients and whisk again. Heat a pan and add butter/oil. Once heated, pour in the omelette batter and spread evenly in the pan. Allow it to cook for a couple of minutes, then turn the side and cook for another minute. Serve hot and enjoy the delicious, fluffy and nutritious oats omelette!

 

Oats and Banana Pancake

Ingredients: 2 eggs or 4 egg whites (using egg whites is a healthier option), 1/3 cup Quaker oats, 1/3 cup milk, ½ ripe banana (mashed), a pinch of cinnamon, honey, butter/oil.

Method: Soak the oats in the milk for 15-20 minutes to soften them. Then mix all the ingredients (including the oats and milk) and beat well. If the mixture becomes too runny (we need a slightly thick batter for the pancakes), add a teaspoon of all purpose flour (maida) to thicken it. Heat a pan and grease it with butter/oil. Pour in some of the batter to form a small round pancake. Cook it for a few minutes, then turn the side and cook for sometime. Serve with a drizzle of honey (though maple syrup is traditional, honey tastes just as good) and a pinch of cinnamon. Fresh fruits go well with pancakes, like banana, apple, strawberry (cut into 2 and dipped in powdered sugar for 5-10 minutes) or any seasonal fruit of your choice.

(I have also tried vanilla essence instead of cinnamon in the pancake batter, and I loved the refreshing aroma!).

Though breakfast still remains a hurried meal for me, I know I am eating good – one that will keep my heart healthy and give me a feeling of goodness to drive me through the day J

I'm Feeling Nutty

Me and my 2 siblings have been eternally fond of anything sweet, and so it was no surprise what  Dad would get for us when he returned from any of his official trips to different cities in India – sweets of course! It was on one of these trips that Dad decided to bring home 2 large bags of salted and roasted nuts instead – cashews and pistachios! He had tasted them himself and had also learned about their immense nutrition and health benefits, so the divine nuts had found their way to our home, and since then, to our hearts.

I remember my elder sister sharing the cashews and pistachios  - equal number of each for the 3 of us – after we returned from school and had finished our lunch. It became a daily habit, and later on, a few more nuts were added to this routine – there were almonds, walnuts and the quintessential peanuts. While my siblings are not so regular with nuts now, my romance with nuts continues….

While nuts are good for health – heart, skin, hair, they are extremely simple to add in our diet as they do not require cooking. They are not perishable and easy to carry as well. Here is how I like my nuts, though I eat them in moderation (given their high amount of fat and calories):

·         A handful of roasted and salted nuts is a tasty teatime snack (between lunch and dinner). I carry to office a mixture of nuts (peanuts, cashew, pistachio, walnut, almond) in an airtight container so that the nuts retain their crunch, and munch a handful with my afternoon tea.

·         I add a few nuts to my bowl of cereals which I have for breakfast

·         Sometimes I sprinkle a few nuts to my green salad to add that crunch

·         My desserts (kheer, halwa and icecreams) always go with a garnish of chopped roasted nuts, for colour, taste as well as nutrition

·         Nuts find their way into my baked food – cookies and cakes alike

I also like my banana split with nuts and choco-nut bar, the recipes of which I am sharing below.

·         Banana Split with Nuts and Honey

Ingredients – 1 ripe banana, 1 tsp butter, 2 tsp honey, a handful of finely chopped roasted nuts (almonds, cashew, pistachios) and raisins

Method – Heat butter in a pan. Peel the banana and split it lengthwise into 2, and cook it in the butter till the banana turns golden brown. Put the cooked banana on a plate and drizzle with honey. Add the chopped nuts and raisins and your treat is ready!

You can add a pinch of ground cinnamon powder to the banana split, or add a dollop of whipped cream/scoop of icecream as a variation. However, the cream/icecream adds calories to the banana split which is otherwise a healthy snack

·         Chocolate  & Nut Bar

Ingredients – 1 bar of chocolate (milk or dark), 2 tsp butter, a handful of whole roasted nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashew, walnuts)

Method – Melt the chocolate bar in a pan with the butter. Once it starts thickening, add the roasted nuts and mix well. Remove from heat and let it cool off completely. Line a baking dish with an aluminium foil and pour the cool mixture into the foil. Keep in the fridge for 4-5 hours. Once the bar is set, take it out of the fridge, place it on a plate (the bar comes off the foil easily) and cut into small pieces. Store these choco-nut bars in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy whenever you feel like a crunchy munchy bite!

Health In A Teacup

In today’s fast life, we look for fast results. Gone are the days when a headache, fever or common cold would be left to heal naturally by taking its own course, or by the humble home remedies made out of herbs and oils. Today we bid goodbye to all such problems in a moment by popping a pill! But have you ever wondered about  the impact of taking so much medicine on our bodies and immune systems? Pills give us instant relief alright, but may have their side-effects and perils as well.

In our home, some of those time-tested home remedies for some common ailments are still used, passed on to my parents by their parents and grandparents. These are not necessarily medicines, but give relief to the body, calm the mind. One such ‘health drink’ is your modest cup of tea – combined with various herbs and spices to rejuvenate the body, remove stress, aches and pains. I am sharing some of the tea recipes below (you may consult your physician before consuming):

Ginger Tea – Known to heal  sore throat, muscle aches and pains, upset stomach, common cold and respiratory problems

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Peel a small piece of ginger and crush/grate it (in a hand grater). Add the ginger to the boiling tea water. Cover it and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the tea. Add sugar and milk (or honey and lemon as a healthier option) to taste. Drink piping hot!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Cardamom Tea – Known to heal indigestion, nausea, vomiting

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Crush 2-3 pods of cardamom (or use 1/2 tsp ground cardamom) for 1 cup of tea. Add the cardamom to the boiling tea water. Cover it and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the tea. Add sugar and milk to taste. Drink hot and enjoy the fine aroma!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Black Pepper Tea – Known to heal cough and sore throat

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Crush 4-5 black pepper seeds (or use 1/2 tsp ground black pepper) for 1 cup of tea. Add the pepper powder to the boiling tea water. Cover it and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the tea. Add sugar and milk (or honey and lemon as a healthier option) to taste. Enjoy hot and soothe yourself!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Bay Leaf Tea – Known to heal pains and digestive disorders

Boil 1 and ½ cups of water in a saucepan. Add 4-5 bay leaves to the boiling water and let it simmer for a few minutes. A golden yellow tea is ready (the water would have reduced to about 1 cup by now). Pour this in a cup, add sugar or honey, and sip your relaxing bay leaf tea!

Cinnamon Tea – Known to heal cold and upset stomach

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Drop 1 stick (or 3-4 small pieces if you do not have a single large stick) into the boiling water. Cover it and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the tea. Add sugar and milk to taste. Drink hot!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Lemon Tea – Known to heal cold and flu, helps in reducing acne and skin problems

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Take the juice of ½ a lemon and pour in a cup. Strain the tea and pour it over the lemon juice. Add sugar (or honey as a healthier option), stir till everything mixes completely and enjoy your warm cup of  tea!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Mint Tea  – Known to heal nausea, headaches, stress

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Add about 1 tsp of crushed mint leaves (for 1 cup tea) to the boiling tea water. Cover it and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the tea. Add sugar and milk (or honey and lemon as a healthier option) to taste. Enjoy hot!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Fennel  Tea – Known to heal bad breath, cold, gas and bloated stomach (not for pregnant women)

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Add about 1 tsp of crushed fennel seeds (for 1 cup tea) to the boiling tea water. Cover it and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the tea. Add sugar and milk (or honey and lemon as a healthier option) to taste. Drink piping hot!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Orange  Tea (Iced) – Rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, known to aid in cholesterol reduction and improving metabolism

Brew tea leaves in boiling water in a saucepan. Take the juice of ½ an orange (or 2-3 tsps of packed orange juice)  and pour in a cup. Strain the tea and pour it over the orange juice. Add sugar (or honey as a healthier option), stir till everything mixes completely and keep in the fridge for an hour. Serve chilled with an orange ring or twirl for a refreshing cup of iced orange tea!

(If you are using tea bags instead of tea leaves, use only boiling water at the beginning and keep your tea bag in the cup into which you can pour the brew.)

Disclaimer: Consult your physician before consuming any of the above if you have a medical condition. Consuming any of the above in excess may be harmful. The above is meant for adults only.

My Rainbow Breads

Very often my friends complain of their kids’ fussy eating habits – their love for junk foods and complete hatred of all that is healthy (and unattractive). Vegetables seem to be their eternal foes, while crisps and fries are welcome at any hour of the day – or night! But why blame kids – after all, fussing is their birth right….didn’t we all go through this when we were little? Yet it is for the mummies to weave their magic in the kitchen and make healthy meals appealing to these little monsters.

My love for healthy food, mostly comprising of fresh vegetables and fruits, encourages me to experiment with new ingredients in my regular dishes. And so I decided to try out some ‘attractive’ versions of my daily staple – the Indian bread or roti (also called chapatti). I prepared green, red and rainbow (red and green) rotis (in fragrant and non-fragrant variations) which not only looked attractive on a plate, but were rich in nutrients as well. On recommending these to my friends who in turn tried them out at home for their kids, I was really pleased to know that their little ones loved the rainbow rotis. They were even impressed by the fact that the superhero Popeye used to have such rotis (since spinach is used in the rotis) to build his strong muscles!!

If you want your kid to be as strong as Popeye as well, and ensure a nutritious meal everyday without their regular fuss, you could try my various coloured roti recipes:

• Green Roti with Spinach (non-fragrant)

Cut fresh spinach leaves and leave in boiling water for a couple of minutes till the leaves wilt, then remove the leaves from water and make a paste (in a mixer or simply by crushing with your hand). Take wheat flour (atta) in a bowl and add the spinach paste, mixing them well so that the mixture is a uniform green colour. Now add enough water to make a roti dough. Divide into small balls, roll into rotis and cook on a flat pan (tawa). Your green spinach roti is ready.

• Green Roti with Mint or Coriander Leaves (fragrant)

If you want a fragrant, mint or coriander flavoured green roti, take some fresh green leaves of mint or coriander. Make a fine paste of the leaves and add to wheat flour (atta). Mix well for a uniform colour, then add enough water to make the dough. Divide the dough into balls, roll into round rotis and cook on your flat pan for aromatic green rotis!

• Red Roti with Tomatoes (non-fragrant)

Choose some ripe, red and juicy tomatoes and make a paste/puree. Add this to wheat flour (atta) and mix well for a uniform colour. Then make a smooth dough by slowly adding enough water. Divide the dough into balls, roll into rotis and cook on your tawa/pan. Red rotis rich in vitamin C is on your plate!

• Rainbow Roti – Red and Green (fragrant/non-fragrant)

The rainbow roti is a red and green coloured roti, which combines the goodness of tomatoes (which give the red colour) and spinach/mint/coriander (which gives the green colour). Make 2 separate roti doughs – 1 red and 1 green (based on the recipes given above for red rotis and green rotis). Once the 2 doughs are ready, take a small amount of red dough and another small amount of green dough. Stick them together so that you get a round ball – half red and half green. You could also roll the coloured dough between your palms so that the colours make some artistic pattern J Roll this dough into a roti and cook on the pan. This rainbow roti is sure to impress your kid!

You could try out various combinations of pureed vegetables (like beetroot for a dark pink colour or mashed butternut squash for a vibrant orange) which can give bright colours to your daily staple – the humble roti/chapatti – while ensuring a high level of nutrition without too much effort. Enjoy the rainbow J